Metro reviewing mom/baby incident

By
Ann Scott Tyson

Metro officials are reviewing a Wednesday morning incident where a baby in a stroller was separated from its mother when the doors on a train leaving West Hyattsville closed, leaving the frantic mother on the platform.

The Green Line train headed for Fort Totten with passengers aboard the train watching over the child until Metro Transit Police arrived at the next station to take custody. The mother arrived by train at Fort Totten, produced identification, and was reunited with her child, Metro said Wednesday. Metro declined to release the identity of the mother.

Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said the review is a normal protocol.

"It's standard for Metro to follow up with the train operator and our station manager," she said. "We don't ignore it when things happen. We always follow up. Supervisors do circle back with those involved and do interviews."

This doesn't sound like an incident worth reviewing. She tried to jam her child onto a crowded train and lost it. The only reason this is worth reporting is to help people think about whether it's worth it to be such dipsticks.

I'd still like to hear the entire story as to whether the doors-closing chime had sounded, how crowded the platform was, and which car the woman was trying to board (i.e., where on the train the car was located), because I think those sorts of facts go a long way towards addressing who was at fault. My gut tells me that "getjiggly1" probably has it right, though obviously I can't know that for sure.

But then I have a higher regard for children **then** some people (and **metro**).

Posted by: MarilynManson | November 12, 2010 12:10 PM

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LOL!!!! If you're going to criticize someone else's grammar, then you should make a point of using correct capitalization, grammar, spelling, and punctuation yourself! Sorry about the asterisks; the blog software seems not to allow HTML tags that would let me use boldface to highlight your many errors.

What the heck does "would of" even mean?

(Besides, "their mother" is wrong. "Their" is plural. The story is about one child, and the stories haven't reported on whether the child was male or female, thus making it impractical to use the preferred form of "his mother" or "her mother.")

Given the lag between the "doors closing" warning and the point when the doors actually close, it seems highly unlikely that this incident was anything more than a parenting fail.

In the scrum of people boarding the train (while the doors were open), a woman with a stroller probably blended with the crowd. And how many times have you seen someone standing on the platform, looking upset after the doors closed? There's nothing special about that. It's a sucky situation, but I don't think the operator should be held responsible.

Ugh. The initial report on this was utterly ridiculous ("Metro is the worst place in the world to lose a child!" or something to that effect) and this follow-up is totally pointless.

I'm sure it was very scary for the mother of the child, but I'm sure most parents have at least one of those moments with their children. We don't hear about all the rest of those, why should we hear about this?

Metro has enough problems already, we don't need to pile on with stuff that isn't even their fault.

I'm sorry.. i have to agree with jrutter21.. i travel by metro most days (3 out of 5 weekdays) and this is something I frequently see... especially if its at a major transfer station (i.e. metro, gallery or le'fant) it is more likely than not that the chimes had rang but i bet if it was one of these stations ppl had not even offloaded before the doors were chiming to close. Metro, although not always at fault, should at least make sure that the train operators are aware if there is anyone on the platform attempting to board. There are times when the doors close immediately and then there are times when the doors are ajar for almost a minute or more...if they are consistent in the wait time for on and off load then ppl would not have to endure this.... i'm sure the mother was frantic....its just a wonderful thing that in the end they were reunited...

No, ReflectionofLyfe, there is ALWAYS someone "on the platform attempting to board" If they have to wait until there isn't, trains would NEVER move. The operators already keep doors open too long for them.

As an eyewitness to this incident and one who first reported this to The Washington Post I would like to chime in. Those who commented and did not witness the baby in a stroller getting separated from its mother do not know the true facts or what they're talking about. The mother first pushed the baby stroller on board the Metrorail train. After the baby was on board, the door chimes then sounded. The mother did not have enough time to board the train or remove the baby stroller. The doors then closed on the mother. Don't assume the doors chimed first and then the mother tried to board the train. That is FALSE. Also, the train was not crowded and there was plenty of room for the baby stroller. This was not an issue of overcrowding. Metro/WMATA should implement procedures wherein the train operators look down the station platform edge before their scheduled departure to ensure parents with baby strollers or physically challenged in wheel chairs or on crutches are not half way in or out before closing the train doors. We are not asking for much here except that no more infants are hauled away on Metrorail and their parents left behind on the station platform. Just imagine if this had been your child and you were the parent left at the platform. Think before you post blog comments. Thank you. Barbara Runion.